On the Facebook platform, connections are established through two distinct mechanisms: friending and following. Friending establishes a bi-directional link, where both parties approve the connection and can see each other’s content shared with friends. Following, conversely, establishes a uni-directional relationship. One user chooses to ‘follow’ another, receiving the followed user’s public updates in their news feed, but the followed user does not necessarily see the follower’s content. For example, a user might friend close acquaintances but follow public figures or pages to stay updated on their activities.
Understanding the distinction is important for managing privacy and controlling the content one sees. The friending functionality facilitates closer, more intimate connections, suitable for personal relationships. The following functionality enables broader consumption of information and engagement with public figures, organizations, or individuals whose public updates are of interest. Historically, the ‘following’ feature was added to accommodate users who wished to receive updates from profiles that had reached their friend limit or from public figures who preferred a broader broadcast model.
